Tag Archives: raging bull

Tennis fans have been blessed in recent years with great autobiographies that give insight into the minds and lives of some of the biggest stars in the game over the past 15 years. We’ve had excellent books from Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, both different in style, but giving us an interesting glimpse into the life and times of the two legends of the ’90s. James Blake’s book also depicts a unique tennis story: coming through the Ivy League at Harvard University, making it on the tour, suffering incredible setbacks, and finally reaching the level of the game’s elite again. Rafael Nadal is the next tennis superstar to grace us with an in-depth look into the internal make-up of a tennis champion. Just like the books that preceded it, this is a great read for all you tennis fans out there!

The coolest part of Rafa is that it gives us great insight into the mind of arguably the most mentally tough tennis player in the history of the game. I think all tennis fans can agree that it’s Rafa’s unique mental make-up and unbelievable work ethic and determination that have vaulted him to the top of the men’s game. The book discusses the different techniques Uncle Toni used early on in Rafa’s development that have made him a humble and hungry champion. It talks about the family environment he was raised in on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca that bred Rafa’s unique focus and drive. With humility and respect being preached on the home front, Uncle Toni engrained in Rafa a simple path he had to follow to become a champion. Through hard work, humility and perseverance, anything is possible.

Rafa in action in Indian Wells

It was the unique upbringing and values that were instilled in Rafa at home on the island of Mallorca that created the champion that he is today. He burst onto the ATP tour as a young teenager, running around the clay like a raging bull, out-fighting his opponents, simply wanting to win more than they did. It was more the hatred of defeat than the thrill of victory that motivated Rafa to push himself to his limits every match. With unprecedented focus and mental toughness, he fought his way to his first French Open crown in 2005 as a 19-year-old. He was the first teenage Grand Slam champion since 1990 when Pete Sampras won the US Open at the same age, and the second male player to win the French Open on his first attempt (the only other was Mats Wilander in 1982).

With great success comes great challenges. The book does a great job discussing the struggles that the young Nadal faced learning to win on all surfaces, not just the red clay he was accustomed to. He was the king of the dirt, but he had to develop his serve and learn to be more offensive from the baseline to be able to win on all surfaces and become the world’s best. Through hard work, constant tinkering of his game and countless setbacks, he learned how to fight even harder and succeed first on the grass at Wimbledon and then finally on the hard courts at the Australian and US Opens. The historic 2008 Wimbledon Final is well-documented throughout the book, where Nadal was able to stave off the comeback from Roger Federer and finally dethrone the Wimbledon legend 9-7 in the fifth set in one of the greatest matches ever played. Rafa discusses how much that title meant to him, and how it has always been his dream as a young kid was to hoist the trophy and be crowned the Wimbledon champion.

Rafa winning one of his seven French Open championships

As a fellow professional tennis player myself, I could relate to a lot of the ups and downs that Rafa faced on his road to the top. Though I never reached the heights that he did, it was still very interesting to see how Rafa dealt with the big wins, the tough losses, the numerous injuries and personal setbacks that every tennis player encounters in his career. He even gives great insight into the in-match obstacles that he faced, like failing to convert his match point in the 2008 Wimbledon final in the fourth set tiebreak, and rebounding to the fifth set and the title like nothing ever happened. I learned a lot that I could relate to my own game (and life for that matter) in terms of the techniques that Rafa uses and how he stays mentally strong to stay focused and driven on and off the court.

In Rafa’s mind, it’s these things that make him the player and champion that he is today. His focus and determination day in and day out fuel both his incredible work ethic off the court and his mental toughness on the court to make him one of the greatest players to ever step on the tennis court. His autobiography is a great look inside this unique mind, and is so interesting for tennis fans and players to see just how the brain of this incredible champion works. Rafa is up there with Agassi’s book and Blake’s book as a must-read for all you Nadal fans, or any tennis fans for that matter, who want to see just what the great Spanish Bull is all about.